SA great names Boks' main RWC threat but flags huge area of weakness

Former South Africa captain Jean de Villiers has identified France as the Springboks’ main threat to winning their third World Cup in a row in 2027, highlighting the depth they have in their squad as their main strength.

The 2007 World Cup winner has been full of praise for Fabien Galthie’s side following their Guinness Six Nations triumph, but has pinpointed their scrum as an area of weakness that Rassie Erasmus’ side will want to “get proper dominance.”

Joining The Rugby Pod this week, the 109-cap Bok discussed the power that Les Bleus have up front, combined with the flair that they have in their back line, but added that there is “still a question mark around their scrum.”

France dominated almost every stat conceivable in the Six Nations this year except the scrummaging stats, where they were uncharacteristically poor, with only Scotland winning a lower percentage of their own scrums during the Championship. This was perhaps not helped by the sudden retirement of tighthead Uini Atonio just days before the tournament got underway.

In contrast to France, South Africa’s scrum is unmatched on the world stage, so much so that they famously opted for a scrum off a mark in the 2023 World Cup quarter-final against France. And while Galthie’s side have noticeably improved since losing to the Springboks 32-17 in Paris last November, their scrum will still be an area of concern for him. Not for de Villiers, however.

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“I can’t speak for anyone else, but I think France are a massive threat for South Africa purely because of the depth that they are creating within their squad,” de Villiers said.

“If you look at the team that they had this year, to have a [Mickael] Guillard and [Charles] Ollivon playing at lock and then you still have Thibaud Flament and Emmanuel Meafou also. The carriers they have, the pack that are able to put on the power, the physicality they bring, plus then the flair that you have from those backs. Some of those midfielders that came through this year as well, that’s quality.

“There’s still a question mark around their scrum, and I think that’s where South Africa will go ‘ok, there’s still an area we feel we can get proper dominance.’

“I think it will be a World Cup where there will be quite a few contenders by the time we hit November 2027.”

France and South Africa will next go head-to-head in November, before a potential World Cup semi-final in 2027.